1. Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to a windshield molding which is installed in the space between a window opening of vehicle body panels and a windshield fastened to the vehicle body panels.
2. Description of the Related Art:
A windshield molding is usually attached around a peripheral edge of a windshield to seal the space between the windshield and a window opening of vehicle body panels. The windshield molding (called "molding" hereinafter) is a strip-like member manufactured by the extrusion process, being attached to the vehicle body panels and around the windshield with or without a fastener. In the latter case, the fastener is attached to the vehicle body panels beforehand to receive part of the molding therein.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publications 244820/1989 and 269612/1989 exemplify a molding which is installed in the space between the windshield and the vehicle body panels without using the fastener.
In the former case, an extruded strip-like molding has two grooves on its side surface. One of members defining the grooves is removed at a portion associated with the upper edge of the windshield. At the corner portion, the molding is elastically reshaped so that the groove for receiving the upper edge of the windshield is merged with the groove for the side edge of the windshield. The remaining groove associated with each pillar panel serves as a water drain channel.
Since it has a uniform shape, the foregoing molding cannot be attached to vehicle body panels having a continuously varying height. Further, the ends of the removed member may be exposed at the corner portions, adversely affecting the external appearance of the molding.
To overcome these drawbacks, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 269612/1989 proposes an extruded molding which is simple in the shape, having a large leg portion. The large leg portion is cut at the upper molding part so that the leg portion extends to a different height at the side molding part. A windshield receiving groove is formed by cutting the leg portion partially. Then, the molding is elastically reshaped so that the windshield receiving groove at the upper molding part and the groove at the side molding part can be aligned. At the side molding part, the leg portion serves as a wall, outside of which a water drain channel is defined.
The size of the water drain channel is varied according to a difference of height between the vehicle body panels and the upper surface of the windshield.
In the latter case, there are also some drawbacks. For example, part of the molding should extend over the upper surface of the windshield to a certain extent when considering variations in manufacturing precision or assembling work. In such a case, the more the molding extends over the windshield surface, the smaller the sectional area of the water drain channel.